DRAGON!: Book One: Stealing the egg.

by LeRoy Clary

  Before he answered, Tom approached, stepping past the circle of guards as if he commanded them. “How are you doing, boy?”

  Shifting his line of thought, he assumed that the “voice” in his head would also listen and understand. Referring to him as a “voice” instead of a name was as lame as calling his dragon, Blackie. There would be no praise for Gareth’s abilities to name people or pets. “For a prisoner, not too bad. I’m trying to figure out exactly who is keeping me here. You or the king’s men.”

  Tom leaned closer. “Meaning you think I am one of them.”

  “I don’t know what to think, Tom. I owe you for your boat and your help, but not so much that you can order me into the service of the king. That Field Lieutenant you’re talking with is a glory seeker looking out only for himself. He’s no friend of yours.”

  “Keep your voice down. You’re correct, of course. I have little respect for him, but maybe I can influence him to delay travel for a day or two. In that time, we may find a way to escape. I’m working on it, so be ready to run.”

  “With the woods around here filled with a thousand soldiers?”

  Tom chuckled. “Would you entrust that arrogant Field Lieutenant with a thousand men to command? The king is too intelligent for that. A few hundred of his second-grade troops at most. Now, relax and let me find another chink in his armor.”

  Tom strode away, with his back straight and his chin up. He looked the part of a naval captain inspecting the sailors on his warship instead of a boatless fisherman. Waiting until Tom sat beside a campfire with three other officers, Gareth used his mind to speak, “I have the beginnings of a plan. A woman of the sisterhood was traveling with me, her name is Karen. She mentioned making all the mice in her house run outside if they thought a cat was inside. Is it possible for you and me to put the same sort of thoughts into the minds of the soldiers?”

  The answer did not come immediately. *I can make people feel basic instincts. You appear to have more abilities in that area than I. Your emotions flood the mind.*

  “Can you fill the minds of groups with emotions? Or, can I?”

  *Let me explain, further, Gareth. I live high in the mountains near a series of thermal vents that keep my valley warm and snug year around. It is no more than a day’s travel from several villages, yet I live undiscovered and at peace because I emit mental warnings regularly. Nothing specific, just vague ‘feelings’ telling all living nearby that they do not want to come near my home. They are not afraid, it is more basic than that. They simply ‘feel’ that hunting for game is better in other places, and so on. I spread rumors of large stands of firethorn bushes and stinging nettles on my mountain. Much like the sister suggested she does with mice.*

  Gareth took it all in and planned as he listened. It might be possible. One glance at the guards told him to plan well because they looked prepared to prevent any escape attempt. “I think I understand. If you told them of fear of a certain place, at least, some would try to overcome the fear by traveling there. By being indirect, you tell them they wish to go to other places where game is plentiful. Can you do that to the army in this forest? And if so, what tale or fear can you spread that will allow me to slip through their lines?” Gareth was met with silence for so long he asked, “Are you still there?”

  *I apologize. I’m at my well sipping a cold mug of water for myself before I sit on my favorite bench and watch the sunrise. It’s my way of thinking through complicated issues. Allow me to think out loud, as it were.* A distinct chuckle followed the statement.

  Gareth finally saw the humor in the “thinking out loud” statement and grinned. “I’m listening when you’re ready.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  The voice in Gareth’s head finally said, *They intend to keep you where you are for at least another day, according to the lieutenant. Suppose I spread ‘feelings’ of general misgivings? I mean, discontent and boredom, along with general fear of black dragons. I can take the deep-seated fear that already exists in most men and enhance it. Bring it to the forefront. A day from now, before dawn, after the feelings have festered, Cinder can begin flying near you, spitting at empty fields to avoid hurting anyone, and flying low. Cinder has quite a shriek, and can use it to scare the pants off them. Most will panic and run with Cinder’s first pass, but that is not enough.*

  “I agree. It’s good as far as it goes, but I don’t want to be in the forest with panicked soldiers carrying weapons.”

  The laughter came again. *My plan has more purpose than might appear at first glance. While Cinder appears to be flying at random searching for men to feast upon, I will direct him. If he flies over the same area a few times, shrieking and spitting, there will be no one below him because of mass panic. For instance, if he flies between you and the river, and back again, there will be a swath of forest totally devoid of soldiers, with none of them hurt. You can take your time walking to the river, but I’d suggest hurrying.*

  “What about me broadcasting my thoughts to everyone? Karen and Mary said every sensitive can hear me clearly, and they suggested I can also broadcast to the soldiers. They said everyone can hear me, anyhow. We might as well put it to use.”

  *Gareth, I’m going to apologize for my actions. Without your knowledge, I am and have been squelching your mind so none hear you. Not telling you what to think, or influencing you in any manner. But I am working hard to reduce your ‘emissions’ or broadcasts, as you call them. Now I think we may want to use some of them to create chaos and confusion.*

  “I don’t like you being in my mind without permission.”

  *Point taken. It won’t happen again, son. Now I want to let loose some of your anger and fear on the world. I apologize in advance for what I’m about to do, but there is no fear that is better suited for us than that which is genuine. What are you scared of? I mean, nightmare stuff.*

  “Night whispers.”

  A chuckle responded. *Those were just me warning you! Oh, you already knew that and made a joke. Good one. Back to the subject at hand, tell me of your worst fears.*

  “Spiders,” Gareth answered instantly. “I don’t like snakes, either, but spiders really upset me.”

  *Perfect! Most people already have at least some fear of spiders so we’ll just enhance their fears. I have now released all constraints on your mind broadcasting your ideas and feelings. Think about spiders and how you hate them, especially the little red ones. Eight long legs on a round, red body. They travel in packs of ten or more searching for blood. They’re so small they climb from the ground to your boots and up your legs without you even feeling them. They’re jumping spiders! When they bite, they leave welts the size of bird’s eggs, especially on your privates. Men’s privates have been known to shrivel to the size of a small prune after a single spider bite. Think hard. Imagine every detail.*

  “I don’t like this at all.” Gareth glanced around, unconcerned that a guard might see him moving. He checked the ground nearby and brushed a leaf away.

  *Open your eyes. Observe your guards.*

  Gareth opened them. Two guards stood directly in front of him. Neither of them looked in his direction. The closest used his weapons-free hand to explore his crotch. The other had one foot raised as he examined his boot as if searching for tiny red spiders.

  *Right now there are hundreds of people searching for elusive red jumping spiders, and none has any idea you put the thoughts into their minds. Not only will they not get a lot of sleep tonight, but they will also be more susceptible to fearful thoughts of spiders and dragons tomorrow as the implications are considered. We’ll get them scared, then in a panic as they escape from this forest. Does my plan meet your expectations? Any questions?*

  Gareth allowed his mind to reach out and touch that of Blackie. He shifted focus and found himself looking at a large field mouse from a few paces. There seemed additional light when using the dragon’s eyes. The dragon must have better vision at night. In a movement too fast to adjust to, the dragon leaped and gr
abbed the mouse with a hundred tiny teeth. As the mouth snapped closed and the crunch of the small animal filled his mind, Gareth withdrew. “Yes! Are you telling me I have to keep thinking about the spiders all day? I’ll go crazy.”

  *Jumping red spiders. Don’t forget they jump and go for your privates.*

  Gareth crossed his legs.

  *Mention the spiders to anyone you talk with. Not too much, just ask if this is the forest known for them, or if they have heard of anyone who has been bitten.*

  “I don’t like spiders, or thinking about them, or talking about them.”

  *Your fear is being broadcast to all. People a hundred leagues away are checking their bedding for spiders right now.* The booming impression of laughter came to mind again. *A lot of spiders are going to die in the next day or two, but we’ll spread more fear of them in a few hours. A few soldiers may desert to get safely away, but all those remaining will be on edge and fearful. By evening the scene will be set.*

  “You really think my fear of spiders will help me escape that much?”

  *Oh, yes. We just have to handle it right. I have to keep your mind filled with honest fear. By the way, did you know this is breeding season for red jumping spiders, and one female can lay almost a thousand eggs? Did you know that? Most of the babies have hatched by now, and they’re looking for animals to satisfy their taste for blood. That’s why they’re red.*

  “Stop! They’re not real. You’re making it up.”

  *Son, they are real enough for all concerned. You just woke nearly every soldier in that forest with your latest burst of mental energy. You put out so much fear and loathing that people are stamping the ground and searching for anything red. That last blast of spider-fear touched even those not scared of them. Nice job.*

  “Not funny. I told you I don’t like spiders.”

  A guard kicked out with a boot and spun around, checking the ground nearby him.

  Another guard asked, “What’s up with you?”

  “Damn red spiders. Watch your pecker.”

  “Huh?” The first said.

  “Jumping spiders go for warm and damp places. Get in your pants or armpits. Woods around here are full of them, they say.”

  “I heard they’re so small you hardly see them,” another guard broke in.

  Gareth spoke up. “I’ve never actually seen one. That’s how small they are.”

  The guard who had kicked out with a boot to start the conversation said, “If they bite you on the pecker they say you never have kids.”

  Gareth closed his eyes to grab a few moments of sleep before dawn and felt hope rise. If the guards were any indication of the general fear, the plan might work. Then he opened his eyes long enough to ensure there were no spiders near him.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  The changing of the guards woke Gareth an hour after dawn. All six surrounding him were relieved by new sentries. The replacements looked tired, uniforms disheveled, hair uncombed.

  *They were too busy looking for red spiders to sleep.*

  “Good morning to you, too.”

  *I’ve been too busy to sleep. The River John lies to your west. Close enough you can run to it without taking a break if you’re running for your life. Beside the river is a fishing village with boats and canoes pulled on the shore. The people living there are leaving because of the red spider invasion last night. Most have already departed for the homes of family or friends. I’m working on clearing out the rest.*

  “I still have to get from here to there.”

  *Listen to me, carefully. That village beside the river is infested with jumping red spiders. They may even be coming from the water, who knows? They’re leaving the water and heading inland, a mass of spiders so thick the ground looks red. They are heading directly to your camp!*

  “No, I don’t like this at all.”

  The voice grew louder in Gareth’s mind. *Close to the river the ground is covered with so many red spiders it moves like a blanket. Red. They’re crawling everywhere.*

  “Just thinking about them makes me squirm and want to run to the mountains.”

  *Good! You’re doing good, Gareth. Your mind is spewing fear and loathing, more than I ever could have imagined. The entire area between you and the river is nearly evacuated. I cannot see a single soldier out that way. However, we still have to make your guards shift their attention, as well as putting the rest of the arm in disarray. Now listen. It just takes one spider bite to give you a fever and a bite swells like a boil. They go for the face when you sleep or lie down.*

  “Sleep? Who can sleep with the nightmares you’re creating?”

  *The Field Lieutenant is planning to move you shortly, take you to the king despite Tom’s stalling. We do not have the luxury of allowing our plan to build over time, today, so we go sooner. Think about spiders and how you fear them.*

  “I am. Nothing else is on my mind.”

  *Look at your guards and tell me what you see.*

  “They look scared. A couple of them are talking. One is pointing west. Where the fishing village is.”

  *Time for our final assault. Cinder is ready to fly, but first, you need to call Blackie and have him near you. Be ready to run. We have no time to waste.*

  Gareth located the dragon with his mind and ordered him to come stand next to him. The six guards looked each other, none noticing the dragon slipping past them. “Ok, he’s here with me.”

  *You have the overall plan, but now we really mix things up. I need your complete attention because this is new information to you and I want it broadcast to every soldier in that forest. Red jumping spiders attack dragons and drive them crazy. The dragons are in so much pain they take to the skies, shrieking and spitting, and they attack anything they see. So many spiders attack dragons that their skin turns red, but spiders also fall off as the dragon flies. Enough spiders fall that it looks like smoke.*

  Gareth stood, his imagination full of spiders floating down from the sky.

  A shriek split the air. Then another, longer and louder.

  All eyes turned up to the sky, including those of his guards.

  A massive black dragon swooped and spun in the air, screaming and shrieking as if mad. It flew between the camp and the river, and then it rose so high it looked like a toy before spiraling down. It fell, wings barely moving before recovering and flying so low it seemed a man could reach up and touch it.

  *See the red coloring on it?*

  Gareth looked.

  *You have to see it, Gareth! See it in your mind. Spiders are falling by the thousands.*

  “Run,” Gareth shouted, not trying to hide his fear at all.

  Three of his guards glanced at each other, and broke into sprints, in three directions. A fourth joined them when Cinder swooped over again. Gareth spared a glance at the nearby campsites. Men were running everywhere. Some shouted. All watched the sky, and the mad dragon twisting and turning, shrieking as it did.

  A guard tore his shirt off and inspected his chest before running.

  Most ran away from the river.

  Cinder looped and flew low over the ground between the camp and river one more time.

  More men ran away from Cinder and the river, all heading for the nearby hills. The dragon screamed as if mortally wounded. The few men not running away broke and headed inland. Cinder made another pass, flying directly at Gareth, black spit spewing a wide swath of death to plants, or anything else. The last two guards with Gareth disappeared into the depths of the forest.

  *The river, Gareth. Run for the river and get yourself a boat and paddle for your life. I am asking you for permission to block emissions from your mind so none can follow or track you.*

  “You have it!” Gareth scooped up Blackie in the crook of his arm and ran. He encountered no soldiers and saw only a two in the distance fleeing inland. In a few steps, he left the trees and brushed aside undergrowth in a wild race to freedom. He stumbled onto a trail and turned slightly to follow it so he could run faster.


  The dragon in his arms wrapped his tail around Gareth’s forearm and tucked his head between his arm and chest, holding on with claws that pierced skin. Gareth ignored the pain of the claws and lengthened his stride. He glanced over his shoulder and found no pursuit.

  Cinder swooped back into sight. It made a low pass behind Gareth, spewing a steady stream of black acid along the ground parallel to the river. Grass and trees withered and died wherever the black touched. The smells of hell rose to singe noses. No soldiers would be following Gareth through that. The dragon flew on before turning and making another pass, closer to the river.

  “Hey, don’t let Cinder get too close!”

  *You just concentrate on your escape. That ‘friend’ of yours called Tom is rallying forces to follow you. He has a dozen armed men coming after you, but Cinder will slow them down.*

  Gareth followed the twisting and turning trail, nearly falling when a tree root tripped him. He leaped over a stream, the footing slippery. The dragon he carried upset his balance. Cinder made another pass behind, leaving another strip of black spit smoking and stinking.

  The trail through the trees opened into flat grassland. Ahead stood a dozen wooden buildings, weathered and gray. Gareth changed directions and raced for them. Nearer, he saw docks and boats. His mind raced almost as fast as his feet. Fishing boats, rowboats, canoes, and a sailboat. Which should he take?

  The canoe. The half canoe, half kayak that chased them down the river traveled twice as fast as the rowboat they were in. All were faster than the sailboat. If he didn’t take the canoe he had to disable it or Tom would catch him in a day. If he took the canoe, he might get enough of a lead to escape.

  The paddle lay in the canoe, waiting for him. He tossed Blackie into the bottom of the boat and shoved it into the water so fast he ran in water knee deep when he dived into the boat. It tipped. He caught his balance and managed to maintain enough to reach for the paddle. A stroke carried him downriver but turned the canoe. The second stroke turned the canoe sideways. He backstroked, and the bow moved in the correct direction. He shifted the paddle to the other side, ignoring the drops of water falling from it, and stroked again. The canoe pointed down the middle of the river. He alternated sides with each stroke, adjusting each to keep the canoe fairly straight.